Protesters Target Home of Google Exec Accused of Evicting Families

Anti-Google activists are at someone's front door again today: Jack Halprin, a top member of the company's legal squadron, is allegedly forcing parents, children, and teachers out of a San Francisco property he owns.

The scene seems like San Francisco's class hostility in microcosm: a halted Google bus, the apparent menace of a wealthy tech executive, ordinary citizens on the verge of homelessness. Protest organizers explained today's blockade to me earlier via email:

Jack Halprin, Head of E-Discovery for Google Inc., recently moved into 812 Guerrero and proceeded to evict tenants, using illegal methods. After evicting two tenants, he recently issued an Ellis Act eviction to the remaining four tenants, two of which are teachers in the community. Following the Google Bus block, housing activist and a large coalition of endorsing organizations will reconvene at 20th and Dolores for aMarch to End the Displacement of San Francisco's Educators, two of which, live in 812 Guerrero and are being Ellis Act Evicted by Jack Halprin.

Johnny, long-time SF resident and tenant of 812 Guerrero fighting his Ellis Act eviction stated, "I don't think rich Google lawyer should be able to come into a neighborhood and buy a piece of property that is a rental property and then quickly evict everyone there to make a bigger profit. I think it's unethical."

It's unclear right now whether Halprin is evicting the renters—illegally or otherwise—exactly as protestors contend. I'm waiting to hear back from both the activists and Halprin himself. But property records show that he does indeed own the building at 812 Guerrero Street, making him the landlord of some of these accusers.